Vehicle exterior lighting system

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle exterior lighting system (100), comprising: at least one lighting unit (1a-1d); and a control system (2) to which at least one temperature detected by a vehicle temperature sensor (102a-102d) is supplied and which is designed to control the power of the at least one lighting unit (1a-1d) as a function of at least one supplied temperature, the control system (2) having a temperature modeling unit (2.1) for modeling the temperature of the at least one lighting unit (1a-1d), according to the invention, a temperature modeling unit (2.2 a-2.2 d) is provided to each lighting unit (1a-1d), and the temperature modeling unit is designed to determine at least one current lighting unit temperature for each lighting unit (1a-1d) by means of the respective temperature model (2.2 a-2.2 d) on the basis of the at least one provided temperature.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle exterior lighting system comprising: at least one lighting unit and a control system, wherein during operation, at least one temperature detected by a vehicle temperature sensor is provided to the control system, and the control system is designed to control the power of the at least one lighting unit depending on the at least one temperature provided. Background Art

[0002] Such an exterior vehicle lighting system is known from DE 10 20211 00 092 A1. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide an exterior vehicle lighting system which can be assembled in a relatively cost-effective and relatively simple manner.

[0004] This object is achieved according to the invention by an exterior vehicle lighting system having the features of claim 1 .

[0005] The vehicle exterior lighting system according to the invention has at least one lighting unit, which is designed for exterior lighting of a vehicle having the vehicle exterior lighting system. The at least one lighting unit is preferably a headlight and / or a taillight of the vehicle, particularly preferably an LED-based headlight and / or an LED-based taillight. In principle, however, the at least one lighting unit can be any lighting unit designed for exterior lighting of a vehicle. Preferably, the vehicle exterior lighting system according to the invention has two headlights and / or two taillights.

[0006] The vehicle exterior lighting system according to the invention further comprises a control system, to which at least one temperature detected by a vehicle temperature sensor is supplied, and which is designed to control the power of the at least one lighting unit as a function of the at least one supplied temperature. The at least one vehicle temperature sensor can here in principle be any arbitrary temperature sensor installed on the vehicle, for example a temperature sensor for detecting the ambient temperature of the vehicle, the motor temperature or the battery temperature. Preferably, a plurality of temperatures of vehicle temperature sensors installed at different locations of the vehicle are supplied to the control system. The control system is here in particular designed to control the power of the at least one lighting unit in such a way that overheating of the lighting unit or components of the lighting unit is avoided. The control system is electrically connected to the at least one lighting unit in a manner known in principle so that the power of the at least one lighting unit can be controlled. The control system has at least one control unit, also referred to as a controller, which is installed on the vehicle. Preferably, the control system has a plurality of individual control units, which are installed at different locations on the vehicle. The control system according to the invention for the vehicle exterior lighting system is preferably implemented by suitable programming of one or more control units already present in the vehicle, so that no additional control unit has to be provided for the control system according to the invention for the vehicle exterior lighting system.

[0007] According to the invention, the control system has a temperature modeling unit, to which a temperature model is provided for each lighting unit of the vehicle exterior lighting system, which temperature model mathematically simulates the thermal properties of the respective lighting unit. Advantageously, for each lighting unit of the vehicle exterior lighting system, a respective (specific) temperature model is provided to the temperature modeling unit. However, it is also conceivable that the temperature modeling unit is provided with at least one temperature model, which is assigned to a plurality of lighting units of the vehicle, for example two headlights or two taillights. In each case, for each lighting unit of the vehicle exterior lighting system, the temperature modeling unit is provided with a temperature model assigned to the respective lighting unit. The temperature modeling unit is designed here to determine at least one current lighting unit temperature based on the at least one provided temperature for each lighting unit by means of the respective temperature model. The temperature modeling unit is preferably implemented by suitable programming of an already existing control unit of the vehicle, particularly preferably a control unit with a high-performance computing unit. The temperature model is preferably stored in a standardized data format in the respective control unit, so that the control system according to the invention can be designed in a simple manner for operation with different lighting units by storing the corresponding temperature model in a standardized data format. In principle, it is also conceivable that in addition to the at least one temperature, other climate data, such as the current air humidity and / or the current air pressure, are also provided to the temperature modeling unit, wherein the temperature modeling unit is designed in this case to take the other climate data into account with the aid of the corresponding temperature model when determining the at least one current lighting unit temperature.

[0008] The temperature modeling unit according to the invention makes it possible to determine the current lighting unit temperature of the at least one lighting unit with sufficient accuracy for controlling the power, so that temperature sensors arranged in the at least one lighting unit can be partially or completely omitted. As a result, the number of temperature sensors to be provided for the exterior vehicle lighting system and therefore also the cabling required for connecting them can be significantly reduced compared to exterior vehicle lighting systems known from the prior art, in which at least one temperature sensor is arranged in each lighting unit, and thus a relatively cost-effective and relatively simple to install exterior vehicle lighting system can be achieved.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the vehicle exterior lighting system according to the present invention, only the temperature of a vehicle temperature sensor outside the vehicle exterior lighting system is provided to the control system. That is, the vehicle lighting system in this embodiment does not have a separate temperature sensor, but only utilizes temperature sensors already present in the vehicle due to other vehicle systems, so that no additional temperature sensors need to be provided in the vehicle for the vehicle exterior lighting system according to the present invention. This makes it possible to achieve a particularly cost-effective and particularly simple to install vehicle exterior lighting system.

[0010] Preferably, at least one current electrical operating parameter of each lighting unit is provided to the temperature modeling unit during operation, and the temperature modeling unit is designed to determine the current lighting unit temperature determined for each lighting unit additionally based on the at least one current electrical operating parameter of the respective lighting unit. The at least one current electrical operating parameter may, for example, comprise a voltage currently supplied to the lighting unit, a current currently applied to the lighting unit and / or an electrical power currently supplied to the lighting unit. The at least one current electrical operating parameter of the at least one lighting unit may be provided to the temperature modeling unit during operation, for example by a control system or by a sensor arrangement designed to detect the at least one electrical operating parameter of the at least one lighting unit. By taking into account the current electrical operating parameter of the at least one lighting unit, the current lighting unit temperature of the at least one lighting unit may be determined particularly accurately.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the vehicle exterior lighting system according to the invention, the current vehicle speed of the vehicle and / or at least one current air flow information of the vehicle are provided to the temperature modeling unit during operation, and the temperature modeling unit is designed to determine at least one current lighting unit temperature determined for each lighting unit additionally based on the vehicle speed and / or the at least one current air flow information. The at least one air flow information can be provided, for example, by a sensor system designed to detect one or more air flows in / on the vehicle or can be determined based on current driving data and / or current weather data. By taking into account the vehicle speed and / or the at least one current air flow information, the cooling of the at least one lighting unit caused by the air flow can be modeled and the current lighting unit temperature of the at least one lighting unit can therefore be determined particularly accurately.

[0012] Preferably, during operation, at least one driving distance information is provided to the temperature modeling unit, for example by a navigation system of the vehicle, and the temperature modeling unit is designed to additionally determine at least one expected lighting unit temperature for each lighting unit based on the at least one driving distance information by means of a corresponding temperature model, wherein the control system is designed to control the power of the at least one lighting unit as a function of the expected lighting unit temperature of the corresponding lighting unit. This allows active control of the power of the at least one lighting unit and thus a particularly reliable and efficient vehicle exterior lighting system. The at least one driving distance information can, for example, include information about the topography of the driving route, weather information for the driving route and / or information about the presence of tunnels along the driving route.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the control system has a central control unit and at least one peripheral control unit, wherein the temperature modeling unit is formed by the central control unit. The central control unit is designed here to provide at least one temperature parameter and / or at least one control parameter to each peripheral control unit, and each peripheral control unit is designed here to control the power of the at least one lighting unit based on the at least one temperature parameter provided respectively and / or the at least one control parameter provided respectively. The central control unit is preferably connected to the at least one peripheral control unit via a vehicle bus system. Preferably, the central control unit has a high-performance computing unit and, in addition to the functions of the temperature modeling unit according to the invention, also assumes all other computationally intensive tasks of the control system, so that no particularly high-performance computing unit needs to be provided in the at least one peripheral control unit. This enables an efficient control system and thus an efficient vehicle exterior lighting system. However, it is also conceivable in principle that the calculations required for determining the temperature of the at least one lighting unit by means of the at least one temperature model are distributed to the central control unit and the peripheral control units, i.e. the temperature modeling unit is formed by a complex formed by the central control unit and the peripheral control units.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, at least one lighting unit of the vehicle exterior lighting system has a power electronics system for energizing one or more light sources of the respective lighting unit. In this case, the temperature modeling unit is preferably designed to determine a current lighting unit temperature using a temperature model of the respective lighting unit, the lighting unit temperature indicating the temperature of the power electronics system, and the control system is designed to control the power of the respective lighting unit based on the current lighting unit temperature indicating the temperature of the power electronics system in order to reliably avoid overheating of the power electronics system.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, at least one lighting unit of the vehicle exterior lighting system has a plurality of light sources, typically based on LEDs, in order to enable particularly variably adaptable exterior lighting of the vehicle. In this case, the temperature modeling unit is preferably designed to determine the respective current lighting unit temperature for the plurality of light sources by means of a temperature model of the respective lighting unit, and the control system is designed to control the power of the plurality of light sources based on the current lighting unit temperature of the respective light source in order to reliably avoid overheating of the individual light sources. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the drawing, which shows a schematic diagram of a vehicle comprising an exterior vehicle lighting system according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Said Figure 1 A vehicle 101 is shown which includes a vehicle exterior lighting system 100 , three vehicle temperature sensors 102 a - 102 c , a vehicle air pressure sensor 103 , a vehicle air humidity sensor 104 , a vehicle bus system 105 , a central control unit 106 and four peripheral control units 107 a - 107 d .

[0018] The vehicle exterior lighting system 100 has four lighting units 1 a - 1 d , wherein the first lighting unit 1 a is a left headlight, the second lighting unit 1 b is a right headlight, the third lighting unit 1 c is a left taillight, and the fourth lighting unit 1 d is a right taillight.

[0019] The lighting units 1a-1d each have a plurality of individually controllable light sources 1a.1a-1a.1n, 1b.1a-1b.1n, 1c.1a-1c.1n, 1d.1a-1d.1n, wherein the individual lighting units 1.1-1.4 can in principle have a different number of light sources 1a.1a-1a.1n, 1b.1a-1b.1n, 1c.1a-1c.1n, 1d.1a-1d.1n. The lighting units also each have a power electronics system 1a.2, 1b.2, 1c.2, 1d.2.

[0020] The vehicle temperature sensors 102a-102c are arranged at different locations in the vehicle 101 and are all connected to the vehicle bus system 105, wherein the first vehicle temperature sensor 102a is arranged in the engine compartment in the front area of ​​the vehicle 101, the second vehicle temperature sensor 102b is arranged in the rear area of ​​the vehicle 101, and the third vehicle temperature sensor 102c is arranged on the vehicle 101 in such a way that the third vehicle temperature sensor 102c detects the ambient temperature in the environment of the vehicle 101. None of the vehicle temperature sensors 102a-102c is arranged in one of the four lighting units 1a-1d.

[0021] Vehicle air pressure sensor 103 and vehicle air humidity sensor 104 are connected to vehicle bus system 105 and are arranged on vehicle 101 in such a way that vehicle air pressure sensor 103 detects ambient air pressure and vehicle air humidity sensor 104 detects ambient air humidity in the environment of vehicle 101 .

[0022] The central control unit 106 has a high-performance computing unit and is connected to the vehicle bus system 105. The central control unit 106 also has a navigation unit 106.1 which is implemented by suitable programming of the central control unit 106.

[0023] The four peripheral control units 107a-107d are each electrically connected to one of the four lighting units 1a-1d, wherein the first peripheral control unit 107a is electrically connected to the first lighting unit 1a, the second peripheral control unit 107b is electrically connected to the second lighting unit 1b, the third peripheral control unit 107c is electrically connected to the third lighting unit 1c, and the fourth peripheral control unit 107d is electrically connected to the fourth lighting unit 1d. The four peripheral control units 107a-107d are also connected to the vehicle bus system 105.

[0024] The vehicle exterior lighting system 100 has a control system 2 which is formed by suitable programming of a central control unit 106 and four peripheral control units 107 a - 107 d .

[0025] The four peripheral control units 107a–107d are here each designed via suitable programming to control the power of the light sources 1a.1a–1a.1n, 1b.1a–1b.1n, 1c.1a–1c.1n, 1d.1a–1d.1n of the corresponding lighting units 1.1–1.4 based on control parameters or temperature parameters provided by the central control unit 106 via the vehicle bus system 105 and to provide the current electrical operating parameters of the corresponding lighting units 1a–1d to the central control unit 106 via the vehicle bus system 105.

[0026] The control system 2 has a temperature modeling unit 2.1 which is implemented by suitable programming of the central control unit 106, wherein a respective temperature model 2.2a-2.2d is stored in the central control unit 106 for each lighting unit 1a-1d, which mathematically simulates the thermal properties of the respective lighting unit 1a-1d.

[0027] During operation, the temperature modeling unit 2.1 is provided with the current electrical operating parameters of the four lighting units 1a-1d, the current temperature detected by the vehicle temperature sensors 102a-102c, the current ambient air pressure detected by the vehicle air pressure sensor 103, and the current ambient air humidity detected by the vehicle air humidity sensor 104 via the vehicle bus system 105. During operation, the temperature modeling unit 2.1 is also provided with driving distance information and the current vehicle speed by the navigation unit 106.1.

[0028] The temperature modeling unit 2.1 is designed to determine at least one current lighting unit temperature and at least one expected lighting unit temperature for each of the four lighting units 1a–1d based on current electrical operating parameters, current temperature, current external air pressure, current external air humidity, driving distance information, and current vehicle speed of the four lighting units 1a–1d with the aid of corresponding temperature models 2.2a–2.2d.

[0029] The temperature modeling unit 2.1 is particularly designed to determine, for each light source 1a.1a–1a.1n, 1b.1a–1b.1n, 1c.1a–1c.1n, 1d.1a–1d.1n of the four lighting units 1a–1d and for each power electronics system 1a.2, 1b.2, 1c.2, 1d.2 by means of a temperature model 2.2a–2.2d of the corresponding lighting unit 1a–1d.

[0030] In a first specific embodiment, the central control unit 106 is designed by suitable programming to provide the peripheral control units 107a - 107d via the vehicle bus system 105 with the determined current lighting unit temperature and the expected lighting unit temperature of the lighting units 1a - 1d controlled by the respective peripheral control unit 107a - 107d as temperature parameters.

[0031] In an alternative embodiment, the central control unit 106 is designed to determine the respective control parameters for the individual light sources 1a.1a–1a.1n, 1b.1a–1b.1n, 1c.1a–1c.1n, 1d.1a–1d.1n based on the determined current lighting unit temperature and the expected lighting unit temperature and to provide the determined control parameters of the lighting units 1a–1d controlled by the corresponding peripheral control units 107a–107d to the peripheral control units 107a–107d via the vehicle bus system 105.

[0032] Furthermore, it is also conceivable that the central control unit 106 is designed to provide both the temperature parameter and the control parameter to the peripheral control units 107 a - 107 d via the vehicle bus system 105 . Reference numerals list

[0033] 100 Vehicle exterior lighting systems

[0034] 1a–1d Lighting units

[0035] 1a.1a–1a.1n Light Source

[0036] 1a.2 Power Electronics System

[0037] 1b.1a–1b.1n Light Source

[0038] 1b.2 Power Electronics Systems

[0039] 1c.1a–1c.1n Light Source

[0040] 1c.2 Power Electronics System

[0041] 1d.1a–1d.1n Light Sources

[0042] 1d.2 Power Electronics Systems

[0043] 2. Control system

[0044] 2.1 Temperature Modeling Unit

[0045] 2.2a–2.2d Temperature Model

[0046] 101 Vehicles

[0047] 102a–102c Vehicle temperature sensor

[0048] 103 Vehicle air pressure sensor

[0049] 104 Vehicle Air Humidity Sensor

[0050] 105 Vehicle Bus System

[0051] 106 Central Control Unit

[0052] 106.1 Navigation Unit

[0053] 107a–107d Peripheral control unit

Claims

1. A vehicle exterior lighting system (100), comprising: at least one lighting unit (1a–1d), and A control system (2) to which, in operation, at least one temperature detected by a vehicle temperature sensor (102a-102c) is provided, and which is designed to control the power of the at least one lighting unit (1a-1d) in dependence on the at least one temperature provided, It is characterized in that The control system (2) has a temperature modeling unit (2.1), to which a temperature model (2.2a-2.2d) is provided for each lighting unit (1a-1d), and the temperature modeling unit is designed to determine at least one current lighting unit temperature for each lighting unit (1a-1d) based on the at least one temperature provided by means of the corresponding temperature model (2.2a-2.2d).

2. The vehicle exterior lighting system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: Only the temperature of vehicle temperature sensors (102a-102c) external to the vehicle exterior lighting system is provided to the control system (2).

3. The vehicle exterior lighting system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein: During operation, at least one current electrical operating parameter of each lighting unit (1a–1d) is provided to the temperature modeling unit (2.1), and the temperature modeling unit (2.1) is designed to determine the at least one current lighting unit temperature determined for each lighting unit (1a–1d) additionally based on the at least one current electrical operating parameter of the corresponding lighting unit (1a–1d).

4. The vehicle exterior lighting system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein: During operation, a current vehicle speed and / or at least one current air flow information is provided to the temperature modeling unit (2.1), and the temperature modeling unit (2.1) is designed to determine the at least one current lighting unit temperature determined for each lighting unit (1a–1d) additionally based on the vehicle speed and / or the at least one current air flow information.

5. The vehicle exterior lighting system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein: In operation, at least one driving distance information is provided to the temperature modeling unit ( 2.1), wherein the temperature modeling unit (2.1) is designed to additionally determine at least one expected lighting unit temperature for each lighting unit (1a–1d) based on the at least one driving distance information with the aid of the corresponding temperature model (2.2a–2.2d), and the control system (2) is designed to control the power of the at least one lighting unit (1a–1d) as a function of the at least one expected lighting unit temperature of the corresponding lighting unit (1a–1d).

6. The vehicle exterior lighting system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein: The control system (2) comprises a central control unit (106) and at least one peripheral control unit (107a–107d), wherein the temperature modeling unit (2.1) is formed by the central control unit (106), wherein the central control unit (106) is designed to provide at least one temperature parameter and / or at least one control parameter for each peripheral control unit (107a–107d), and each peripheral control unit (107a–107d) is designed to control the power of at least one lighting unit (1a–1b) based on the at least one temperature parameter provided respectively and / or the at least one control parameter provided respectively.

7. The vehicle exterior lighting system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein: At least one lighting unit (1.1-1.4) has a power electronics system (1a.2, 1b.2, 1c.2, 1d.2), wherein the temperature modeling unit (2.1) is designed to determine a current lighting unit temperature with the aid of the temperature model (2.2a-2.2d) of the corresponding lighting unit (1a-1d), the lighting unit temperature indicating the temperature of the power electronics system (1a.2, 1b.2, 1c.2, 1d.2).

8. The vehicle exterior lighting system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein: At least one lighting unit (1.1-1.4) has a plurality of light sources (1a.1a-1a.1n, 1b.1a-1b.1n, 1c.1a-1c.1n, 1d.1a-1d.1n), wherein the temperature modeling unit (2.1) is designed to, for the plurality of light sources (1a.1a-1a.1n, 1b.1a-1b.1n, 1c.1a-1c.1n, 1d.1a-1d.1n) by means of the temperature of the corresponding lighting unit (1a-1d) The model (2.2a–2.2d) determines the respective current lighting unit temperature, and the control system (2) is designed to control the power of the plurality of light sources (1a.1a–1a.1n, 1b.1a–1b.1n, 1c.1a–1c.1n, 1d.1a–1d.1n) based on the current lighting unit temperature of the corresponding light sources (1a.1a–1a.1n, 1b.1a–1b.1n, 1c.1a–1c.1n, 1d.1a–1d.1n).

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